forum: Everything else

Is a pub a restaurant?

I'm a great fan of Jamie Oliver, in particular what he has done to transform school meals, but would like to ask a question about his new show.I am a publican running a food led, village pub in the North Bedfordshire countryside. Even though food is a large part of our business we always ensure that people who want to come in for just a drink are made as welcome as our diners. We feel that, as we are running the only pub in the village, we have a social responsibility to the community we serve to protect the place as a pub. So many communities have lost their local shops etc and also their pub, often when they are turned into restaurants and the atmosphere of a local has been lost.Can you let me know if this responsibility to the people living locally to The Cock is something Jamie has considered, the show constantly referred to winning a restaurant not a pub and the two can mean very different things to a local who wants a pint and a chat.So many village pubs are closing down and those which can be profitable need to be protected.Thanks!

Re: Is a pub a restaurant?

Good point.

I don't have any local knowledge, but from the little I have seen, the Cock had been closed and on the market fr some time. Perhaps someone who knows the area better will be able to tell us if there are any other pubs around, as I suspect a village of only 200 would be unable to sustain a local pub by itself.

I agree that to many local pubs have shut down. This seems to be due to a number of factors:-

Change in demographics - the local population has changed - for instance the village has become a commuter dormitory, or become gentrified, or has a high proportion of holiday homes.

Change in drinking habits - more people drinking at home, kids clubbing in cities, people not driving any distance to drink.

Large "chains" promoting "theme" pubs which set out to draw people away from tgeir local - the "supermarket effect"

Landlords who lose the patronage of locals by not listening to what people want.

Many pubs have been trying to gain local customers by improving the food provision to attract more families (with some this works, with others it fails miserably).

In the area here I live, about 15 - 20% of local pubs have shut diwn in the last ten years, never to re-open - basically, they have gone bankrupt.

I can't think of any solutions - but anything which keeps a local open, or re-opens one, wouldget my support.

Re: Is a pub a restaurant?

I saw a reply on another thread from someone who had been to the Cock since the winner took over (said the food was great!). Maybe they would be able to tell us if the Cock is restaurant completely, or does it have a pub side too ?. Keep smiling, Ady.

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